Hastings pupils rise to a uniformed occasion

On 18 August the pupils at Hastings’ St Joseph’s School celebrated Sunday Mass in their school uniforms at Sacred Heart for the first time in five years.

Over the past few years, the school has worked with the parish to help with the pastoral area’s monthly children’s Masses which the children have always enjoyed, especially when they didn’t have to wear their uniforms.

However, this year the school asked for the uniforms to be reinstated. The students were brimming with pride in their uniforms on the day and staff and community members also dressed up for the occasion. To honour the large number of Indian families on the school roll, the director of religious studies, Kelly Beals, decided to dress up in a sari herself, calling on mother Smitha Bincy to help her.

The parish was rewarded with a 90 percent turnout from the school.

Senior students were able to lend their reading, singing, technical and musical talents to the liturgy and the entire junior school blessed the congregation with a liturgical dance. Year 7 student and pianist Rhian Hanara composed a piece which she played during the procession of the gifts.